


Coffee Shops

by forbiddenquill



Series: Previously Posted in fakingitfanfiction [3]
Category: Faking It (TV 2014)
Genre: F/F, previously posted on fakingitfanfiction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-31
Updated: 2014-12-31
Packaged: 2018-03-04 13:16:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 17,274
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3069491
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/forbiddenquill/pseuds/forbiddenquill
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Karma goes to Starbucks because of the new blonde barista who gives out her orders and calls her honey. Amy goes to Starbucks because of the cute customer who orders the same drinks and sings songs under her breath.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Coffee Shops

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on fakingitfanfiction
> 
> based off on good ol queerkarmy [now queerlaferry] and heyraudenfelds' Coffee Shop AU.

**KARMA**

“We’ve got a new barista today,” Shane said as Karma stepped in front of him. Starbucks was noisy as usual, complete with the sounds of coffee grinding and the murmur of customers. She could smell the sweet scent of the place and she inhaled it greedily, as if she was somebody who hadn’t gotten a taste of fresh air in a long while. Starbucks had become her place to escape to, especially when the stress of college life sometimes became too much for her. Shane Harvey was always a lovely sight to see with his carefully gelled hair and dark eyes. He worked at Starbucks because he had too much time in his hands and he wanted to meet other guys. He and Karma had been friends since high school.

“Really?” Karma said, her mind drifting from the conversation. She was thinking about a song she was starting to stitch together, a song about crap she shouldn’t even be thinking about.

“Yeah, her name’s Amy,” Shane said as he started writing down her order.

Karma subconsciously glanced at the other baristas lining up the counters. She didn’t see anybody new.

“I’ll get someone to serve at your table,” Shane told her, smiling ever so slightly, as if he knew a secret she didn’t. Karma was too stuck in her head to notice. She moved out of the queue and walked to her table, right by the glass windows. She put down her bag and pulled out her notebook. Before she knew it, she was humming under her breath already, putting lyrics where the tone matched the words. She was writing in the paper, her handwriting sloppy but she didn’t care. She was already starting to like the song. It just clicked inside her head the moment she woke up and she was now fueling it.

It wasn’t melancholic but it held the traces of unrequited love, like loving someone who didn’t love you back. Humming the song under her breath made her feel like somebody had clenched her heart in their fist. She was already breathless by the time she had worked on two verses. Putting down her pen, she cracked her knuckles and looked up when somebody passed by while holding the thin mint frappuchino she had ordered.

When her eyes met green ones, she felt her breath catch in her throat. 

“Here’s your order,” the new barista said, setting down frappuchino on her table.

Karma dropped her gaze to the table, suddenly feeling as if a fire had started in her face. She mumbled a ‘thank-you’ and the barista lingered for a second longer than necessary before moving on. Once Karma was sure she had gone, she ran her fingers through her auburn hair and let out a ragged sigh. She bit her lower lip and then glanced over her shoulder to look at the new barista again.

 _What was her name? Ana? Ariel? No. Amy._ Amy. Right. Shane said it was Amy. Damn. Karma hadn’t realized a barista could look so cute. She stared hard at her, almost as if she was going to memorize every inch of this new person. Amy had blonde hair which curled against her shoulders and hid her ears. It parted in the middle, Karma noticed. She could also see that the other girl’s eyes were a pale green. She was tall as well with an apron wrapped around her waist. Karma found herself eyeing her long legs before having to shake herself out of her daze.  _Crap. Crap. Shit._ She’s a girl. Karma couldn’t be crushing on a girl.

 _Hey, there’s always a lesbian phase in every girl’s life_ , she told herself relentlessly. She sipped her drink, tapping her pen against the paper.  _It’s normal,_  she kept telling the straight girl inside her head every time her eyes darted to the side, trying to catch another glimpse of Amy. Her face was still burning. She couldn’t even concentrate on the words she had written minutes ago.

Little did she know, Amy couldn’t take her eyes off her too.

**AMY**

“Who’s that?” Amy asked Shane the moment she passed by the counter.

Shane looked up from his phone. His gaze followed Amy’s and then he grinned wickedly at her.

“I knew you’d ask sooner or later,” he said, winking.

Amy scowled. She hated the fact Shane knew that she was vagatarian—which is how her stepsister always kindly put in. He said that he knew it the moment she walked through the door on her first day. His gay radar had been tingling by then and he immediately latched onto her arm like a leech. Amy hadn’t been able to shake him off.

“That’s Karma Ashcroft,” Shane answered when Amy continued to glare at him. He gazed thoughtfully at the ceiling and then added, “We were friends back in high school but first, I have to warn you. She’s not gay.”

“I wasn’t asking if she was straight,” Amy angrily said. She could feel her cheeks burning. “I just wanted to know who she was.”

Shane shrugged noncommittally. “It was a warning, okay?

“Sometimes, I wonder why I even talk to you,” Amy muttered.

“I’m the person who makes sure you don’t make a fool of yourself, dear,” Shane said, gently placing his hand on her arm and smiling crookedly. “Don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere.”

Amy shook off his hand and walked away. She tried to stop herself from glancing at the girl named Karma every now and then. She did her job, wiping off tables and throwing away cups but there was a nagging voice inside her head and she realized it was Shane, repeating his own words: _She’s not gay._  She could feel the disappointment lingering in her bones. She thought that Karma was really pretty with her auburn hair, chubby cheeks and bright eyes and the way she dressed, almost as if she wanted somebody to look at her. It had worked. Amy couldn’t stop looking at her.

Karma Ashcroft. She had the kind of name that had a certain ring to it, like it was name that couldn’t easily be forgotten. Amy thought it was amusing somebody would name their daughter Karma but she found herself thanking that parent. Karma was unique. Amy was plain.

She was passing by Karma’s table way too often now, willing herself to talk to her every time. Her heart beat would accelerate when she heard the other girl humming. Karma seemed to be singing a song and Amy would strain her ears to catch the tune. She felt exhilarated, almost as if she had been running and was now catching her breath. She felt that way every time she looked at Karma.

An hour later, Karma stood up, put away her notebook and slung her bag over her shoulder. Amy suddenly felt panicked. She was going to leave? Somehow, Amy wasn’t ready with the notion that Karma was just passing by and would probably never come back tomorrow or the day after. She watched with a heavy heart as the other girl approached Shane, said something to him and laughed heartily. Chest twisting in jealously, Amy forced herself to head back to work even though she was still acutely aware of Karma’s presence.

Karma strutted to the front door, head held high and Amy stopped whatever she was doing just so that she could look. It was like an invisible force making sure that when Karma Ashcroft did walk out of her life, Amy would be watching. There was a rather painful ache inside her chest now, making her almost wish that her heart would just stop beating so that the ache would fade.

But before Karma could disappear forever, she twisted her neck around and met Amy’s unfaltering gaze.

That, was like a punch to the gut.

**KARMA**

Karma’s face was burning.

 _Holy crap. Was she staring at me? Like, what the hell just happened?_ There wasn’t anything coherent that was forming in her head. A tingling sensation had started in her stomach and was now spreading throughout her entire body. She walked fast and hard, as if she had to get to somewhere but in reality, all she was doing was making sure that there was distance between her and Starbucks. Her knees felt weak but she kept walking on, her breathing getting harsher by the minute. Passersby gave her a looks as she hurried past them. Where was she going anyway?  _Home_ , Karma thought helplessly,  _I have to get home_.

She hailed a cab and when she was safely sitting in the backseat, tried to pull herself together. Realizing that Amy had been watching her leave made her feel as if all the breath had gone out of her. She tried to think about the song she had been making but it was like the music had gone and all that she had left was a jumble of words and lyrics that didn’t make sense without the tune. As the cab lazily drove onward, Karma gazed outside and tried to grasp at what was left of her song.

And yet, her thoughts strayed back to the girl’s green eyes. Her stare had been piercing and Karma had nearly stumbled on the sidewalk. Thankfully, she took whatever was left of her dignity and walked off hurriedly. An ache was starting in her chest and she wondered,  _why on earth am I feeling like this?_  Amy was just the cute barista she had seen, the girl who served her a drink and didn’t say anything about her day. It wasn’t as if they knew each other. Ugh. Karma shook her head and tried to stop thinking.

By the time she got to her apartment, night had already fallen. She paid the driver and got out of the cab. The night was freezing and she found herself wishing that she had a jacket. Her apartment wasn’t anything fancy but she liked it well enough. It was home for her. She lived alone though, so she spent her nights watching movies on Netflix and pretending that the silence didn’t creep her out. She walked three flights of stairs, shoved her key into the key hole and slammed the door on itself.

The silence began.

**AMY**

“You should really stop staring at girl’s asses,” Shane said when they were out of the café. He locked the front door and tucked the key into his pocket.

“Asshat,” Amy murmured, adjusting her coat. She shoved her hands into the pockets of her jeans and glared hotly at Shane who was laughing loudly. The night was chilly and brought goose bumps along her arms. She looked up at the sky and saw the moon shining brightly with the stars. She thought they were beautiful.

Shane nudged her with his fist. “Come on, best friend, we have to get going. You wouldn’t want anybody raping this fine piece of ass right?”

“Aw, thanks for your concern, asshole,” Amy said sarcastically.

Shane grimaced. They started walking forward. The streets were all empty save for a few beggars and some teenagers staggering into the night, yelling about booze. All the streetlights were flickering and Amy was reminded of horror stories that had happened when a guy and a girl were walking alone in an empty dark night. Shane was telling a tale about a guy he  _swore_ was flirting with him and Amy found herself half-listening. She kept thinking about Karma Ashcroft, the girl who liked thin mint frappuchino and who wrote songs in Starbucks. The girl with the auburn hair and bright eyes. The girl she was probably never going to see again.

Shane snapped his fingers in front of her face. “Earth to Amy Raudenfeld,” he said, scowling.

Amy blinked. Shane had stopped walking.

“Right, what is it?” she mumbled, feeling her cheeks burn red.

“It’s okay if you won’t listen to me,” Shane said, rolling his eyes, “but you should at least tell me what’s gotten into your head. You look like you were thinking about the secrets of the universe.”

“I was,” Amy said, trying to laugh, “I was thinking about the reason why Pluto isn’t a planet anymore.”

“Because,” Shane said, scoffing ever so slightly as he took her arm again, “Pluto sucks.”

**KARMA**

Karma put down her pen and gazed intently at the TV screen. She couldn’t write and she couldn’t even focus on the show. No matter how much she tried to push the sight of green eyes into the back of her head, it just kept coming back, like an image that couldn’t be burned away no matter how many lighters she used. She rolled around in her bed, staring at the ceiling then at the window and then back at the TV screen again. She couldn’t concentrate. She felt as if something was clutching at her heart, making it harder to breathe every second. She wanted so badly to breathe right again.

The boredom soon got through her and she realized that she wanted to talk to someone pretty badly.

Shane Harvey was the first person she thought of.

“Hello? Proudest gay in the planet speaking,” Shane answered, sounding light and funny. Great. Light and funny was what she really needed at the moment.

“It’s me,” Karma said.

“Yeah, I know. I can read the Caller ID.”

“Shut up.” Karma laughed. Shane was always a sarcastic bastard. 

“What do you want, girlfriend?”

Karma rolled onto her side and stared out the window. The image of the blonde barista resurfaced again and she felt that yawning pit of ache inside her chest once more, like it was a bruise that would never fade. Shane was waiting, she knew but she needed time to think. She needed time to form her words correctly. She didn’t need him to know that she was crushing on a girl; his endless chatter would be nonstop.

“Karma? God, what is up with all these girls—?”

“I need advice,” Karma blurted out. Good. She didn’t sound totally desperate, maybe a bit breathless but that was normal when it came to her. She could hear Shane mulling her words and she squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for the questions and the gushing and the normal typical Shane behavior.

“Okay,” Shane stretched the word slowly. Karma knew he had his attention.

Propping up her chin on her elbow, she said, “What happens when you think about someone and you feel as if somebody’s punched you in the stomach? Or when you feel like there’s a void inside your chest when you think about them? Or when you think about their eyes and your heart suddenly clenches on itself? God, Shane, I don’t know what’s going on but I feel like I can’t breathe! Is that normal? And I swear to God, I’m not talking about Liam Booker. I’m talking about—” Crap. Too much words. Karma quickly shut her mouth which led to her biting her tongue. Wincing in pain, she listened to the silence between her and Shane.

Finally, “You’ve got it bad, girl,” he said.

“Really?” Karma whined. The ache was spreading now until she couldn’t even move her fingers without thinking about blonde hair and green eyes. “Is it  _that_  bad?”

“Yes,” Shane told her firmly, “If you feel like dying every time you think about someone, then it means you’re so attracted to them that the pain doesn’t stop until you’re with them. Tell me, girl. Who’s the lucky guy?”

Karma was about to say Amy’s name but she stopped herself.  _Say her name and the fantasy that you’re in love with a girl will spread. Say her name and Shane will definitely tell her. Say her name and everything could go to hell._ “I can’t tell you,” Karma said, laughing to hide how panicked she was inside, “It’s my little secret.”

“Aw,” Shane said, sounding like himself again, “You know how bad you are with secrets, Karma.”

“That’s why I’m not going to tell you,” she said nonchalantly.

“I’m wounded, Ashcroft,” Shane stated, scoffing.

There was another silence, one that pulled at Karma’s insides. She rolled over again until she was lying on her back, staring at the bleak ceiling.

“Hey, Shane?” she mumbled, “Have you ever been in love? Like, real love? Not the stupid crush where you want to stick your tongue in their mouth but the kind of love where you want to wake up next to that special someone?”

The boy laughed in the other line. “Hey, Karma, I think you need to get your head checked. You’re basically babbling to yourself and worse, I think you’re in love.”

She shook her head. “Love at first sight, I guess.”

He let out a  _hmph_. When Karma couldn’t take it anymore, she hung up on him and tried to write again. The music came back slowly, trickling back into the surface of her brain. She could hear it, the tune and the melody and the sadness. It took quite a while for her fingers to start working again and by the time it did, she was spewing out more lyrics and words. She had to say that she liked this new song better. Maybe it was because of the raw pain behind it or maybe it was because a certain someone had finally given her the groove she needed.

**AMY**

Karma didn’t come back for the next few days.

Amy hated the fact that she was waiting for her. Even Shane could see the self-loathing that had filled her thoughts and work. She barely talked during work and when she did, it was usually a mumble. Every time she heard that someone had ordered the same drink Karma had, she felt hope flaring up in her insides. Maybe Karma had walked in without her looking but once Amy turned and saw that a fifteen year old boy had ordered the drink, she resisted the urge to throw the cup at his face.

She tried to think about other things while she worked; like this new TV series she was watching but it didn’t help with the fact that she kept imagining watching it with Karma. Damn. What the hell had happened to her? She barely knew the girl and here she was, wiping tables and moping about the fact that she wasn’t here. Amy didn’t like to think about the ache inside her chest when she thought of auburn hair and bright eyes and music and even her own workplace. She wished there was some other way to make sure that the pain wouldn’t consume her but she guessed that she had to live with it like it was a normal occurrence which it wasn’t. A girl named Karma who made her feel like she was falling wasn’t a normal occurrence. She liked to think of it as a once in a lifetime opportunity.

When Friday came, Amy was pretty sure that today would be another normal occurrence. The usual customers were sitting at their tables, chatting idly and working on their laptops. Shane was working at the counter and Amy was yet again wiping tables and throwing away cups. Friday was always a busy day and she was bustling over one table to the next, throwing in a few casual, “Here’s your drink” or “How’s your day.” She couldn’t let the customers see that she was basically hating every one of them for not being the Karma Ashcroft she wanted. That would not do well with the tips.

The sound of a door opening made her tear her gaze away from a couple who was displaying way too much PDA. When she raised her face and brushed away strands of blonde hair from her vision, she froze.  _Fuck. Fuck._ She nearly dropped her tray when she realized that her prayers had been answered and Karma Ashcroft was here.

Shane was the first person who said hi. Amy hid her face by ducking low. She didn’t need Karma to see that her face was burning. Hell, she didn’t even want to see it herself. She focused on the couple again but she was acutely aware of footsteps against the wooden floor and the sudden smell of something organic. She heard voices, Shane’s and hers. She hadn’t really heard Karma’s voice before but it was soothing and soft. The kind of voice you’d want to come home to.  _Shut the hell up, Amy_ , she told herself fiercely. She didn’t want either Shane or Karma to know that she was thinking like this.

“The usual?” Shane asked.

“Yeah.” Karma said the word casually. Amy took note of the fact that she was a ‘yeah’ person instead of the ‘yes’ kind.  _Crap._ If Amy could mentally slap herself, she would. She’d probably be bruising a big red welt on her face if she had.

She probably looked stupid standing there so when the couple stood up and headed to the door, she quickly hurried to their table, cleaning off any water marks. She put the cups on her tray and before she could throw them away, she made herself take a breather first. It wouldn’t do well if she walked pass by Karma’s table looking breathless and scared. No, she needed to make sure that it wasn’t obvious she had been thinking about Karma for the past few days. She needed to make sure that she shouldn’t care.

She tried to stop her fingers from shaking as she walked towards the trash can. She felt as if somebody was staring at her, burning holes into her spine. She shivered instinctively and just as she was about to turn away, she heard Shane calling out for her. Hiding her face using her hair, she headed to the counter.

“Thin mint frappuchino,” he said and he gave her a smirk when he noticed the look on her face. “Now’s your chance, Raudenfeld. Go get some ass!”

“Shut up, shut up,” Amy mumbled furiously. She took the drink, inhaled deeply and turned around.

**KARMA**

Karma was still debating if it had been a bad idea to come here. She felt as if somebody was watching her but whenever she looked around, everybody was doing their own business. Including Amy. The other girl was working as usual and it made Karma sad to know that she wasn’t getting a reaction. _Stupid,_  Karma told herself. What did she expect? For Amy to jump around and announce to the world that she had been waiting for her? That only happened in movies and only the best kind.

Her heart rate accelerated when Amy turned from the counter, all smiles and bright green eyes. Karma realized that she had been staring blankly at her and now that her head had finally snapped back to reality, tried to keep her hands from shaking. The blonde barista approached just as she was pulling her notebook out of her bag.

“Back again?” Amy said, placing her order in front of her.

Karma almost forgot to breathe. She looked down once, inhaled sharply and raised her gaze. Amy was staring at her, lips curled at both sides. Her eyes were very pretty and somehow, Karma felt pained again, like last night and the other night before and so on and so forth. Shane was wrong; she was here now but the pain hadn’t faded; in fact, when she looked at Amy’s face, it seemed to intensify.

“Yeah,” Karma said, swallowing the lump in her throat, “Favorite place in the world.”

“Really? Is it because of the drinks?” Amy asked.

“Maybe,” Karma answered, reaching out to grab her drink. She sipped it gingerly. “I’m Karma, by the way.”

Amy put down her tray and stretched out her hand. Karma nearly dropped her cup.

“I’m Amy,” the other girl said, smiling that brilliant little smile of hers, “It’s nice to meet you.”

Karma had to tell herself to keep breathing. She looked down at their clasped hands and Amy must’ve seen the look of indecision on her face because she quickly let go. A nagging voice inside Karma was starting to say No no it’s okay but another one—the one with the logic and brains— squashed it relentlessly.

"Hope to see you around," Amy said casually and left before Karma could take another breath.

**AMY**

_Crap. Fuck. Shit. Damn._  All kinds of profanities filled Amy’s thoughts as she headed back to the counter. Her heart was pounding and it made her chest hurt. She felt as if a huge invisible hand had taken hold of her body and was squeezing, squeezing so hard that she couldn’t even dare to breathe. She glanced up at Shane who was looking at her curiously and she forced herself to breathe through her mouth, even though everything hurt.

"You okay there, Raudenfeld?" he asked.

"Fine." She waved him off.

"Okay then." He gave her one last look before hurrying to get an order for a customer.

Amy tried. She tried not to pass by Karma’s table. She tried not to listen to her humming. She tried not to watch her when she didn’t have anything else to do. She tried so hard to pretend that she wasn’t there that it made her notice her even more. She remembered the look on the other girl’s face when they had shaken hands. Was it disdain? Repulsion? Confusion? Whatever it was, it had stabbed Amy right through the heart. What had she been thinking? Did she really believe that Karma wanted to see her? She was nothing compared to this beautiful auburn haired girl who made her chest hurt and her toes curl.

An hour had passed. Karma hadn’t budged from her seat. Amy was getting anxious. What was she waiting for? Maybe she had a date and got stood up. No. That wasn’t right. What kind of guy would make Karma wait? If it had been Amy, she would’ve been here an hour early.  _Stop fantasizing, Raudenfeld_ ¸ she scolded herself angrily,  _It’s never going to happen._ No matter what she did, Karma was no-no. She just had to drill it into her head somehow.

Shane was giving Amy more looks now. It became so unbearable that she dragged her feet towards him.

“ _What_?” she demanded hotly.

“Stop staring!” he hissed, his voice a tone quieter than usual, “You’re reminding me of a long lost puppy who forgot where its mother is.”

“That’s easy for you to say,” Amy murmured, “Have you ever been in love before?”

Shane pressed his lips together. “Honey, don’t go down that road. Love is a harsh and cruel thing, especially when he’s bisexual. Anyway, you’ve got to minimize  _this_.” He gestured to her face, at the sad and yearning looks and the mouth where all the desperate things she wanted to say stayed.

“I’m new at this,” she mumbled. Looking around, she saw that no customers were heading their way. Everybody seemed contented and Karma was sitting in her usual seat, scribbling all over notebook. Amy’s heart was pounding. She knew it’d be crazy to ask but she just had to.

“How do you—” She took a deep breath and glanced down so that Shane wouldn’t see her red cheeks. “I can’t believe I’m asking this but how do you get someone to notice you?”

Shane grinned. “Well—”

**KARMA**

“—you need to get to know him first of all,” Shane was saying.

Karma’s heart felt as if it was being squeezed to death. She could hear Amy and Shane talking about something; Amy’s voice was low and soft so it was painful to not being to hear anything from her. As for Shane, well, he was always the loud one so his best at trying to be quiet was actually just moderate in volume.

Karma wasn’t proud to say that she had looked at Amy more than at her notebook. It had been torture to glance at her every now and then while trying to come up with things to say, like “How are you doing?” or “Everything okay?” Worse, she seemed to be the reason lyrics were starting to pour from her pen. The song she had come up with was starting to sound like a ballad somebody from Les Miserables might sing.  _That_  showed her that it was bad. Shane was right. She had it bad.

Snippets of their conversation was flowing through her ears. Well, Shane’s part of the conversation anyway. From what she could hear, Amy was asking for advice on some guy. Karma’s shoulders fell.  _Some guy_. Not a girl. Definitely not her, anyway.

“But before you can say that you’re head over heels in love with him, you have to make sure that he’s your type. My type are usually broad shouldered cute guys who work at bars and flirts with everybody. Including gay guys. Amazing right?” Shane laughed. Amy said something and he sobered.  _Damn this one way conversation,_ Karma thought helplessly. If they looked right now, they would’ve been able to see that she wasn’t actually writing anymore. If a person was writing, their pen would be moving. And Karma’s was stone still.

“Raudenfeld, I feel so bad for you right now,” Shane said, voice dripping with concern. “You’re like a little girl who just suddenly found herself in a world full of adults in a blink of an eye.”

Karma smiled to herself. She felt that way too. Especially now, when her chest was twisted and her toes were curled.

Shane continued, “I fell in love in third grade. He was the hottest guy in school and he was filthy rich and nice to everybody and loved art. Oh, his name was Liam Booker. Well, he found out and we crossed that bridge. He wasn’t into guys though but we were great friends.  _That’s_ the kind of friendship everybody needs. Not the kind where you’re friends one day and complete strangers in the next. Nobody needs to know that love ruins relationships.”

Karma frowned. Sure, she knew about Shane having a crush on Liam but what the hell were they talking about? What was Amy saying? She wished she knew because she had a feeling that if she did, the knot in her chest would untwist itself and everything would be okay.

**AMY**

“Liam Booker?” Amy scowled. “He sounds pretentious.”

Shane slapped her arm lightly and laughed. “Shut up, you didn’t know him.”

“And I don’t want to.” Amy glanced over at Karma who was in the same position she had been before. There was something odd going on here but she decided not to pursue it. She was already tired by the day’s work. She didn’t need to be chasing after fruitless theories about the way Karma was sitting.

Shane sighed audibly and ran a finger against the table. “Stop staring,” he whispered.

“I’m not,” Amy growled, “I’m just glancing every now and then.”

“Which leads to staring and then hopeless longing and then fantasizing about the marriage you’re going to have.” Shane sounded like a teacher scolding a student for getting the wrong answer on a math test. Amy didn’t know if she was glad that she had him to help her out.

“Do you think I’m hopeless?” she asked.

Shane gave her an exasperated look. “I think you’re adorable, Raudenfeld.”

Amy smirked.  _If only Karma thought the same._

“By the way.” Shane threw a tissue paper at her, returning the smirk, “We’ve got work to do, bitch.”

**KARMA**

Karma was aware that she had been sitting there for nearly two hours now. The back of her thighs hurt and her butt was sore. All in all, she had managed to write about three verses for a song nobody was ever going to hear. She wondered if wannabe singers felt the same way like she did. She glanced over at the counter where Shane was entertaining a customer but her eyes weren’t seeking him. She sought for Amy. She didn’t know if she felt better when she looked at the other girl or she felt worse when she didn’t. Her new found feelings for the cute barista was making her chest twist more and more each time.

By the time it was four, Karma decided that she had to go. She needed to get away from this place. She wanted to get away from the knives in her heart, the knives Amy herself had put in, whether or not she knew it. She stood up, got her things and waved at Shane who smiled at her. When she turned to look away, she caught Amy’s gaze on her. Sometimes, when the other girl looked at her, Karma always felt as if she was falling from a cliff or burning up in flames or being drowned without even getting a breath of fresh air. Did love always have to hurt? she wondered. Did affection always have to dance with pain?

It didn’t help with the fact that Amy gave her a smile so bright that it hurt to look.

**AMY**

“Straight people are so stiff,” Shane said, watching as a guy practically ran away from the counter.

Amy had to force herself not to laugh. She and Shane were in the same situation, after all. It didn’t help with the fact that Karma was now a regular and Amy had basically caved in to the idea of flirting. Well, one sided flirting. She knew that Karma was straight, after all. All she had to was sprinkle a bit of affection to her words more than usual, adding nicknames like  _honey_  or  _sugarbear_. If Karma didn’t give her that brilliant smile of hers every time she did, Amy would’ve shot herself in the head already.

“At least he didn’t tell you to fuck off,” Amy said lightly.

“Don’t be so fucking cocky, Raudenfeld,” Shane said, rolling his eyes, “Just because the love of your life hasn’t cringed away in disgust doesn’t mean you can get your head up in your ass.”

“Maybe you should check  _your_  ass,” Amy shot back relentlessly, “Some hooker might’ve left something behind.”

Shane let out a shocked gasp and Amy dodged away from the straw he threw at her face. She picked it up after her laughter had died down. Shane was glaring at her coldly and she tried to say an apology but he raised a hand.

“Save it,” he said, “At least you’re funny now.”

He stalked off. Amy grinned and out of habit, glanced over at Karma. To her surprise, the auburn haired girl was staring right at her. Her eyes widened and Amy groped for words to say. Time seemed to freeze until Amy was pretty sure the world had stopped and stared at them both the same way they had. A fiery fist seemed to grip her heart tight. Her chest was warm and buzzing, like a fire crackling in the dead of night but it also hurt, looking at her like this, making her feel like she was about to die or something. So she looked away pointedly, trying to stop her cheeks from flaring up.

She was pretty sure that Karma’s gaze never left hers though.

**KARMA**

Karma didn’t know if she should change her name and move to Canada.

She visited Starbucks every day now. She talked to Amy every day now. She was falling in love every day now. 

She didn’t mean for this to happen. At first, she had thought of it as attraction to the same sex, a lesbian phase that she would overcome but it wasn’t, it was more than that actually. She found herself wanting to get to know this cute blonde barista who had suddenly appeared into her life and seemed intent to break every inch of her. She wanted to walk up to her and ask if she minded watching a movie together. She wanted to hold her hand and draw hearts on her skin. She wanted to wake up one day and see the blonde curls all messed up and green eyes full of sleep. God, she didn’t want to say it but she had to.

She wanted Amy Raudenfeld.

The pain was constant now, always changing. Whenever she was at school, listening to lectures all day, there would always be a dull ache inside her chest but after classes, when she was in her usual seat at Starbucks, the pain would flare and then die down and flare up again, always moving, always causing her agony. It didn’t help with the fact that Amy had taken to calling her honey or sugarbear. God, did she want Karma to suffer? Because if she did, she was doing a great job.

 _Crap._ Today, Amy had been joking with Shane about a guy who practically fled from their sights. Karma had watched Amy laugh. She had a cute laugh, sort of sarcastic around the edges but a laugh nonetheless. Karma found herself wanting to hear that laugh more. She was so busy staring at her that she hadn’t realized that the other girl had seen her. Panic gripped her throat tight.  _Fucking hell_ , she thought to herself.  _Busted._ She waited for Amy to say something, for repulsion and anger to fill her features. Instead, her cheeks turned red and she looked away. Karma had been so stunned that she didn’t look away. She spent the rest of the afternoon trying to catch her gaze but the other girl seemed determined to ignore her.

It felt like a slap to the face.

**AMY**

“I can’t stand this anymore,” Amy finally said to Shane the next day. It was bright and early. The sun was shining up in the clouds. The birds were chirping and singing. The first round of customers were just streaming in. And Amy’s heart was going to burst out of her chest.

Shane regarded her fondly. “Did you smoke some meth this morning? You look like shit.”

And she did. She had been tossing and turning the night before. The image of Karma’s surprised face was burned in the back of her eyelids. She was pretty sure that the other girl was wondering why Amy had looked at her. Endless thoughts and theories had been forming in Amy’s head by the time it was five a.m. and she had to get to work. Why had Karma been staring at her? Why didn’t she look disgusted or at least, shocked? Did it mean something? They were useless questions, questions that nobody had the answer to. Well, maybe Karma but Amy couldn’t talk to her about that yet.

But that was where Shane came along.

“I’m going to ask Karma out,” she said breathlessly.

Shane would’ve dropped his phone if he hadn’t been so frozen. He gaped soundlessly at her, the shock written all over his face. Amy would’ve reveled in his reaction if she hadn’t been so terrified at her own words.

“Are you serious?” A grin broke out. Amy sighed in relief.

“Yes, but I’m going to need your help,” she told him feverishly. A few customers were starting to come in but Amy ignored them. Shane was looking at her as if she just dropped from the sky. Her hands shook at her sides.

“What changed your mind, exactly?” he asked.

Amy shrugged. It was hard to explain, actually. She had only thought of Karma as a passing distraction, somebody whom she was attracted to at her workplace. She hadn’t realized that she would fall for her, hard. She never believed that anybody could fall for someone through their Starbucks order or through the way they tapped their fingers against a table or through the way they sung their songs under their breaths.

“Never mind that,” Shane said, sounding excited. His dark eyes shone. “Okay, what do I have to do?”

“That’s what I wanted to ask,” she said.

Shane pursed his lips. He tilted his head to the side and thought about it. Amy waited nervously. The other baristas were already starting to notice that they were slacking off. She didn’t need any trouble today so she nudged Shane when he didn’t say anything.

“Hey,” she mumbled.

“Don’t worry,” he finally stated, giving her a warm smile, “I’ll handle it.”

**KARMA**

Something was different. She could feel it.

Classes ended late. By the time it was 4:30, she was hurrying across the street towards Starbucks. Even from the glass window, Amy’s blonde hair was unmistakable. She felt guilty somehow. She usually came here early but they had a quiz and she really needed to ace it. She didn’t even know why she was feeling guilty; it wasn’t like Amy was waiting for her. The thought saddened her considerably.

When she entered the café, Shane’s head snapped forward. Realizing that she was finally here, he grinned and mouth “ _The usual?”_ She nodded and walked over to her table. She could feel her skin burning and her chest twisting tighter. For the past few days, her chest had been in constant pain, always constricted. Whenever she came here, it either loosened or tightened. Today, it tightened.  _Damn_.

Her song was already finished but she liked to reread the lyrics over and over again. It never got old somehow. Besides, she needed to look like she was doing something. Having Amy know that she was secretly stalking her was something she didn’t need right now. Amy. Where was she anyway? Karma frowned. It didn’t take long for her order to come. Something must’ve been holding her up.

Karma glanced over her shoulder. To her shock, Amy was busy entertaining somebody else, a guy the same age as she was and who was currently checking her out. Her chest tightened more when she saw that Shane was the one bringing  _her_  order. Was the world flipping out or something? Did something happen while she was gone? If her mother were here, she would say that the pop quiz had somehow ruined her chances and had shaped some major cosmic shift in her calendar.

Shane passed her the thin mint frappuchino. Karma took it glumly, glancing sullenly over at Amy.

“Well, don’t look so happy to see me,” Shane remarked bluntly, taking a seat across her table.

 _Now I know what’s different_ , she thought. She tried to force a smile.

“Sorry, it’s just college life you know. All that crap.”

Shane held out a hand, looking peevish. “Save it. I know why that frown isn’t turning upside down.”

Karma froze. Oh God, did he know? If he did, could he have possibly told Amy? No, he wasn’t that cruel. He always boasted of having gay support to everybody out there, swearing upon his honor when she told him secrets. But she didn’t like the way he was looking at her right now, as if she knew something she didn’t. It made her feel self-conscious.

“You know, you should just really ask Amy out,” he said.

 _Crap. Holy crap. Holy mother load of crap._ Karma’s mouth dropped open.

“It’s okay,” Shane assured him, the smile from his face never fading, “She actually came to me and asked me to talk to you for her. She’s kind of had a crush on you too, you know.”

  _Is he serious?_  Karma searched his face for any mischief or anything that could tell her that he was lying. Except for the smile, he looked dead serious. Her heart pounded rather painfully inside her chest and it was all she could do not to faint right there. She was also pretty sure that her ears were pink. She glanced around fervently, trying to avoid his hard and impenetrable gaze. If he was telling the truth, then that meant that Amy had been flirting with her for the past few days.  _Oh God,_ she thought, mildly horrified. How could she be so blind?

Some part of her wanted to stand up and ask Amy on a date like right now but the other part of her was just so shell shocked that she remained on her chair, still frozen. Shane took her shock as repulsion. His eyes widened considerably and he leaned back, his mouth dropping open slightly.

“Do—er, you  _do_ like her back right? I mean, you’ve been staying here for like two weeks now. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not an idiot or anything but I’m not a genius. Damn it, Karma, tell me I’m right or I swear on my fucking ass that—”

“Shane!” Karma snapped out of her daze. She reached out and took his hands. A goofy smile spread across her face. She couldn’t help it. The pain in her chest was loosening and she felt elated. “It’s okay. You’re right. I do like her back and I was too scared to say anything.”

Shane’s smile returned. “Okay then. I’m going to help you out on that part.”

**AMY**

Amy was looking at Shane when he came back from Karma’s table.

“Well?” she asked impatiently. She was too scared to ask straight ahead. She had watched their exchange from the corner of her eye but hadn’t been able to hear anything. Thousands of questions had popped up when Karma had started laughing and Shane’s voice started getting louder.  _What did he say? Is she angry? Why does he look like he’s about to die from panic?_ Her heart pounded more and more painfully inside her chest as she kept watching. When Shane stood up and strode towards her, the urge to jump up and demand to know answers was overwhelming.

Shane just gave her a lazy smirk. “You’ll get your answer soon enough.”

It was torture, trying to work while still being conscious of Karma’s presence. She felt pissed off, cheated because of Shane. She wanted to know what Karma had said, what  _he_  had said. Did he say that Amy was a stalker who liked to watch her when she wasn’t looking? The possibilities were endless and it made her feel jumpy and stressed.

When Karma stood up and left the café, Amy was half tempted to run after her but she couldn’t. She was rooted to her workplace, whether or not she liked it. Shane just looked at her all smug when she let out a low guttural groan that basically everybody could hear. She  _hated_  not knowing what was going on through Karma’s head. It made her want to rip out someone’s heart out, like what the bad guys did when they were pissed off in movies.

8:00 o’clock rolled around and they finally had to close. Shane locked the front door after they shut all the lights out and cleaned the dishes. Amy was jumpy all the time. They said goodbye to their other baristas and walked down the road leading to their houses. Amy pulled out her phone, checking the time and trying to stop herself from flinging it across the ground.

“Stop looking so desperate,” Shane told her.

“What did you tell her?” Amy demanded hotly.

He just shrugged. “Don’t worry, Raudenfeld. She’ll come around. Either tomorrow or next year. She’ll come around.”

She groaned. Hate filled her thoughts. What did Karma think of her now?

Shane found a taxi. He got inside and waved goodbye at her. Forcing a smile, Amy waved. Then she returned to her treacherous walk, all alone with her thoughts. She was thinking about the way Karma smiled, all teeth and bright eyes. It was almost like looking at the sun after walking in a snowy landscape for centuries. Amy wondered what would happen next. Would she come back tomorrow? Would Amy ever see her again?

Her phone rang. It was probably Shane, coming to check up on her but when she pulled it out of her pocket and saw that it was an unknown Caller ID, hope and fear mingled inside her chest.

“Hello?”

There was a hesitant voice in the other line. Amy stopped walking. “Is this Amy?”

 _Fuck_. It was Karma. She’d recognize that voice anymore.

“Yeah.” Amy’s voice sounded weak to her own ears.

“Uhm, Shane gave me this number by the way. I hope I didn’t scare you but he told me a lot of things today and I just wanted to be sure. Oh, crap.” She was like a dam bursting to let go and Amy was ready to drown. “I don’t want to creep you out or anything but I—shit, I’m really sorry if you’re freaked out or anything. I just really wanted to talk. You and I have been—uhm—” She laughed nervously “—I don’t even know what we are but—I can’t—I can’t even talk right now—”

“It’s okay!” Amy cut in gently. She heard Karma inhale sharply. Her heart was practically bursting inside her chest. She smiled.  _Thank you Shane Harvey_. “It’s okay, Karma.”

There was silence. Amy’s fingers twisted a strand of blonde hair nervously.

“Do you want to go to a movie sometime?” Karma’s voice was breathless, as if she’d been running.

Amy licked her lips and closed her eyes.  _Thank you, Starbucks._

“Sure, I’ve been wanting to hear that song of yours.”

She could hear Karma’s smile through the silence that followed.


	2. The Smell of Coffee and Tea

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Karma was still thinking about what had just happened over the phone, Amy was already thinking about the worst things that could go wrong on this date.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> previously posted on fakingitfanfiction
> 
> #BringBackPreSeason2Karmy

**KARMA**

Karma had a date.

Karma had a  _date_?

After putting down the phone, she took three even breaths and tried to stop her head from collapsing on itself. Her heart was pounding and she listened to it beat because she didn’t have anything else to do and the puzzlement had yet to sink it. Date. She had a date. A date with Amy Raudenfeld.

“Holy shit,” she finally said, clutching her phone as if it was a lifeline. “Holy shit.” She closed her eyes and felt her smile grow.  _Thank God for Shane Harvey._ She sat down on her bed and gazed at the wall opposite her, trying to imagine a perfect date.  _What should I wear_? She asked herself.  _What should we do?_ The possibilities sent her head reeling. She never realized that the fantasy she had been trying to push away would become real. She never realized that Amy could possibly like her back.

And yet…doubt lingered in her thoughts. What did Amy think of her? What if this was just a big joke Shane had made, a big joke that would completely break her heart if it turned out to be true. Maybe Amy was laughing her socks off right now because the girl who wrote songs and spent her money on the same drink actually thought that she might have a chance.

“No,” she told herself fiercely, squeezing her eyes shut and trying to unclench her heart, “Amy wouldn’t do that.”

But she didn’t know Amy. That was the problem.

**AMY**

“You’re thinking too much,” Shane said as Amy tried to grasp the perfect outfit.

“Of course I am!” she hissed, “I mean, this is the girl whom I’ve been secretly crushing on for a while. Like, do you have any idea how many scenarios I’ve made up inside my head because of her?”

Her friend laughed. They were in her room, finding an outfit that didn’t make Amy look like a girl who was trying too hard to get somebody to look at her.  _This won’t do_ , she thought for the hundredth time as she flung another food themed shirt from her sights. Shane was sitting on her bed, skimming through a novel and being no help whatsoever. Amy hid the fact that she was slowly panicking inside. What if Karma didn’t like her dress? What if she looked up at her at the date and suddenly decided that no, she didn’t like Amy?

“Fuck it,” she said after a while, dropping her clothes and collapsing on the bed next to Shane. “I can’t go. I feel like I’m going to puke.”

“Amy!” Shane said, sounding exasperated, “You can’t just blow her off. That’ll ruin her self-esteem and make her think like she’s one of the girls whom nobody likes. Think about it; if you don’t go, she might as well end up being a lady who owns ten cats!”

Amy’s heart twisted with guilt. She checked the clock and realized that she only had an hour left before their appointed time at the cinemas. She wondered if Karma was feeling the same thing as she was. She wondered if the other girl had the same butterflies in her stomach, the same twisted agony in her chest, the same yawning void of self-loathing. She looked up at Shane who was looking at her expectantly, urging her to go along with this meeting, to put her heart in the line.

“Okay,” she said, defeated, “but you better help me out with these clothes. If I do this by myself, I might end up going in my pajamas.”

**KARMA**

Karma was twenty minutes early.

She closed her eyes and pressed her fingers against her lips. God, she looked desperate, walking back and forth in front of the building without any friends along. It was 5:41 pm. Nineteen minutes left until their appointed time. She opened her eyes and looked down at her dress. She looked casual, not overly sexual or overly saint like. She highly doubted that Amy would care about her clothes. She seemed like the type of girl who cared more about personality then appearance.  _Shut up,_ Karma thought angrily,  _you don’t even know her. You aren’t in the position to make assumptions._ What time was it already? Did Amy forget all about her? She wished she would hurry up. No, wait, scratch that. She wished she  _wouldn’t_  hurry up. Karma didn’t want her to come when she was still trying to gather her nerves.

Nope. No. No. Apparently, some higher force slapped her wish away. Amy was here. Amy, wearing a white sweater with black jeans and dark boots. A messenger bag was slung over her shoulder and Karma’s chest tightened once more. She looked simple, as if she just thought that this date was something to check off her bucket list.  _Shut up, shut up_ , Karma kept telling herself, biting her tongue so that nonsense wouldn’t suddenly spew out. Amy approached tentatively, hands clasped in front of her and Karma’s heart kept hammering inside her chest. She suddenly had the urge to puke.

“Hi,” Amy said, smiling shyly.

Karma forgot to breathe. She returned the smile, even though it still hurt somehow.

“Glad you’re here,” she said.

“Yeah, we’re both early though,” Amy murmured softly.

“Sixteen minutes early, yeah.” Judging by the look of surprise on Amy’s face, Karma concluded that she did not know that. Crap. Did she have to sound like such a stalker? She shook her head and forced a smile, avoiding the other girl’s green gaze. “Sorry. I just like to take note of the time. It keeps me occupied.”

Amy laughed softly. “It’s okay. I think it’s cute.”

Karma basically died. Her eyes widened and she squeaked a ‘thanks.’ She turned her face away, wondering if Amy knew the effect she was getting, wondering if the other girl knew about the butterflies in Karma’s stomach and the fingers slowly unwrapping the strings in her heart.  _Damn this girl_ , Karma thought as she willed her fingers to stop shaking.  _Why did I have to fall for her?_

**AMY**

_Why did I say that?_ Amy was rooted to her spot, watching as Karma looked away pointedly. Fear and panic clutched at her throat but she couldn’t say anything, not while sounding like a jackass. So she swallowed down her words, her cheeks flaming red. It was the truth though; she thought it was cute that Karma took notice of the time, the minutes. So why did she feel like dying right there?

Karma looked up at her shyly. Amy’s blush deepened.

“Which movie do you want to watch?” she asked.

Amy looked at the list. There was a horror movie, two love stories and a comedy. She imagined a scenario where they watched the love story. Could she ever look at Karma while some guy and girl made out in front of them? No. Not a chance. Strike that option out of the table please. Her eyes flicked to the horror. Images of guys taking advantage of girl during a movie where a mass murderer escaped flashed through her head. No. That wouldn’t do as well. The comedy was the safest choice. She just hoped Karma would agree.

Karma’s eyes showed relief when Amy told her. The other girl must’ve been thinking through the same lines.

“Great,” Karma said, smiling so brightly that Amy had to look away. “I’ll get the tickets.”

As she sauntered off, Amy allowed herself a moment to take a deep breath. Her nerves were racked to the point that she couldn’t stop analyzing everything. What did Karma think of her outfit? Was it too simple? Was it too butch? She watched as the other girl approached the ticket center. Reluctantly, Amy allowed her eyes to roam down her body. Her dress suited her nicely. It wasn’t too loose or too tight. She focused on the back of Karma’s legs and a warm feeling erupted inside her stomach. She looked away just in time. Karma bounced towards her, basically vibrating with excitement. Amy had to admit that her excitement was contagious.

“Ready?” Karma asked.

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” Amy said, grinning.

**KARMA**

_Okay. A comedy. Good choice, Amy._ Karma was terrified about the idea of cowering in front of Amy if they had chosen a horror but then again, if she had chosen the love story, it would’ve been worse. Sitting in a cinema full of couples would’ve been horrifying. Comedy was brilliant; comedy was genius, in fact. She couldn’t help but praise Amy Raudenfeld.

Amy bought two popcorns. Karma bought the drinks. They walked into the theatre side by side, the darkness swallowing both of them whole. Amy’s arm brushed against hers occasionally and it made the pain inside Karma’s chest flare up once more. They settled into their seats, in the back row. Amy glanced around and she caught Karma’s eye, making the other girl blush.

“Don’t run out of popcorn,” the blonde said.

“Don’t count on it,” Karma replied cheekily.

The movie hadn’t started yet. Karma leaned back against her seat, painfully aware of Amy. She hadn’t been able to be this close to her since for the past few weeks, they only had fleeting conversations, lasting only about a minute. It felt strange, not seeing her in Starbucks and seeing her now in normal everyday clothes instead of her uniform. She smelled of coffee, which was obvious and made her more attractive. Karma stared at her while she wasn’t looking. Amy’s hair looked richer up close and she noticed that her eyes were greener than she thought, greener without it being yellow. The darkness gave her an eerie glow but she still looked incredibly beautiful.

 _Crap_. Karma looked away.  _Hold yourself, Ashcroft._

“Do you go to college?” she asked, in hopes of passing the time.

“Dropped out,” Amy told her, propping her chin against her knuckles. “I decided to get a job at Starbucks so that I could move out of here and get a _real_  job.”

“Oh.” Her shoulders dropped.  _She’s planning to get out of here?_  The thought saddened her. “Well, I go to the local university. It’s nothing special.”

“What are you studying?”

“Accountancy,” Karma answered. She realized now that it sounded boring even to her own ears but Amy just smiled.

“You don’t look much like a math geek,” she said.

“I’m not,” Karma agreed, “but I didn’t know what else to pick. I’m scared that I made the wrong choice or something.”

“Well, if you did, you can always join me at Starbucks.”

Karma laughed. God, when was the last time somebody made her laugh besides Shane? It felt good actually. It made her remember good old days in high school where laughter was everywhere. Ever since college, her laughing days had been minimized. There was just so much work to do and she missed her weird organic parents who always managed to bring a smile to her face. And now it was Amy. Amy, the Starbucks barista whom she’d been crushing on for two weeks. Amy, the girl with blonde hair and green eyes. Amy, who supposedly liked her back.

 _What does she see in me?_  Karma found herself asking. She couldn’t think of any reason for anybody to find her attractive, much less desirable. She was just a normal girl who dreamed of becoming at least a known singer, who tried to find a legacy back in high school and who was currently drowning in college. She was just a girl who watched movies in Netflix when she didn’t have anything else to do, a girl who never did anything out of the line, well maybe except ask Amy Raudenfeld out on a date.

She looked at Amy once more, with thousands of questions on the tip of her tongue.

“You’re staring,” Amy said, her lips twitching at the corners.

Karma blushed. She hoped that Amy couldn’t see the red tinge on her cheeks.

“Sorry,” she said, “I’m just thinking.”

“Really?” Amy’s smile widened. “What were you thinking about?”

They were still for a moment but then Karma leaned forward, suddenly feeling bold. She looked into Amy’s green eyes, trying to hide the fact that her heart was hammering loudly inside her chest. She noticed that Amy’s breath hitched and after trying to squash the pride that swelled, Karma allowed herself a sly smirk.

“I’m just wondering why you accepted this little date,” she murmured.

“Maybe it’s because I wanted to,” Amy said and Karma was positive that this was what it was like to be flirting with someone who made your chest hurt and your toes curl. It felt exciting and exhilarating at the same time. It reminded Karma of bungee jumping, the wind on your face and the entire world at your feet. She had only tried it once but suddenly, she felt as if she was doing it all over again.

She just hoped that she wouldn’t fall.

**AMY**

Amy seemed painfully aware of everything that was Karma. Her heart was no longer a steady flow but a rather unhealthy irregular beating; it would always double up in beats whenever Karma accidentally brushed her shoulder or something and would slow down when Karma looked away. She feared that she wouldn’t be able to concentrate on the movie much and she was right.

By the time all available lights had dimmed, Amy was pondering on whether or not she should just go to the bathroom so that she could get a breather and stop her nerves from getting all racked but that was stupid. She couldn’t bear to leave Karma, even if she wanted to. The opening credits began and Amy wondered if she should reach out and take Karma’s hand. No. That would be like trying to cop a feel. Besides, if she  _did_  take Karma’s hand, the other girl would notice right away that Amy’s was sweaty.

The characters were promptly introduced and even though Amy tried to focus on the movie, on the burst of stupidity from the idiots, on the brightness of the film and sheer will of it all, she couldn’t. Now while Karma was sitting next to her, engrossed in the whole thing. Amy glanced at her every now and then, the same way she used to back in Starbucks. She liked the way Karma’s eyes go all crinkly when she smiles. She liked the way little bursts of laughter erupted every now and then. She liked the way she always seemed to be fighting off a smile. Karma Ashcroft was an incredibly smiley person. It made Amy feel things. Made her want to pull her into her lap and kiss her for everybody to see.

Amy looked away, silently horrified at her own thoughts.  _Damn_ , she thought glumly,  _I’m really into this girl._

She turned back to the screen and there was a scene that was so hilarious that it made Amy snort. Karma, however, was laughing so loudly that it made Amy think that she was probably going to choke on her own drink. She smiled, wondering if there was anything in the world less adorable than Karma Ashcroft laughing.

 _Crap._  Karma whipped around to look at her, brown eyes shining and lips all curled into a grin. Amy’s smile widened. She didn’t even bother trying to hide the fact that she had been staring. She had a feeling that Karma was okay with it.

Amy sighed. Wow. Just wow. She wondered if she had to offer a virgin to the goddess of love for giving her this opportunity, for making her meet Karma. She leaned back, fighting off the love struck smile that was probably plastered on her face. She picked up some popcorn and chewed on it as she watched movie.

Halfway through, Karma said that she had to go to the bathroom. Amy looked up as the other girl clambered to her feet—and accidentally spilled the drink that she had bought all over her pretty dress.

Amy was still for only half a heartbeat before she stood up, grabbed her bag and quietly led Karma away from the prying eyes of passersby around. She could hear Karma stammering behind her, obviously embarrassed and flushed and it made Karma feel honestly embarrassed as well but she didn’t say anything. She just needed to get her date out of here.

“Amy?” Karma called as they headed towards the girl’s room. Thankfully, nobody was around.

Amy turned around. The stain on Karma’s dress was bad. It didn’t help with the fact that Karma was wearing white. The other girl was red faced and looked near to tears but Amy just gave her an apologetic grin.

“It’s okay,” she said, “I’ve got it covered.”

Karma looked confused. She should be.

“Just try to wash it off,” Amy told her gently, “I’ll help, if you want.”

This date wasn’t exactly what she had in mind. Karma probably thought so too because she hid her face and sniffed. Amy had to admit that she looked adorable with her pouty face and downcast eyes.

They both took individual tissues and started wiping at the dress. Amy was feeling a bit flushed as she reached out to wipe at the drops of cold Coca Cola on Karma’s shoulders. A warm sensation was spreading from her stomach and towards the tips of her fingers. She wondered if Karma could feel the heat of it, especially since she was brushing them against her very skin. Karma was looking down, wiping at her stomach vigorously and obviously trying hard to avoid Amy’s gaze. The moment felt fragile somehow. Amy found herself wanting to remember it, to carve the memory into her brain. She took notice of the way Karma sniffed every now and them and of the smell of the drink on the fabric of her dress. Now that she was standing this close to her, Amy realized that she was a few inches taller than the other girl. She smelled different as well. Most girls smelled of expensive perfume but Karma smelled of organic tea.

Amy stepped back once her work was done. The dress was practically ruined now but at least it wasn’t soaking wet. Karma threw all the tissues away.

“Well, this was a disaster,” she murmured, sounding defeated.

Amy’s heart cracked into two. She shook her head. “No, it isn’t.”

Karma looked up at her, eyes full of confusion. Amy reached into her messenger bag. She wasn’t going to admit that she had spent countless hours coming up with ways on how this date could be ruined and another countless hours making sure that she got everything that would fix it. Inside her bag, there were plenty of mints, extra tampons, deodorant, even a freaking condom but at least Amy had the idea to bring along a trench coat.

**KARMA**

Karma hated herself.

Since she was too embarrassed to even look at Amy in the eye, she found herself counting the cracks on the cement. She was near to tears. It didn’t even matter that the dress she had picked for this special occasion was ruined; what mattered was that Amy was probably looking at her with pity in those pale green eyes. It made Karma want to scream at herself; why did she have to spill that drink?  

But then Amy assured her that all was not lost. Karma had looked at her then, hope mingling with the self-loathing in her stomach as the other girl pulled out a trench coat out of her bag. Karma was stunned speechless.

“What?” Amy said, smirking, “I always come prepared.”

As Karma pulled on the trench coat and tied it near her waist, she thought of Amy’s response. She liked to think that the blonde had spent hours trying to make sure that this date wouldn’t go to hell but that would’ve been too cocky for Karma’s taste. Besides, Amy Raudenfeld looked like the type of person who’d come to anything prepared. Karma was too grateful to properly say a thank you.

Amy laughed. “It’s okay,” she said. She was saying that a lot.

By the time they returned to the theatre (they moved to another row) the movie was nearly done. Karma was a tad bit disappointed. She would’ve liked to laugh more, make Amy see that she was fun to hang around with. It didn’t help with the fact that Amy had only smiled at the appropriate moments. She didn’t even seem to be enjoying it as much Karma pretended that she was. Karma didn’t want to admit that she wasn’t even paying attention to the plot; she was too absorbed with the fact that Amy was sitting next to her, smelling of coffee and looking beautiful with the way the lights shone in her eyes.

Amy suddenly touched her arm. Karma nearly jumped out of her skin.

“Want to get out of here?” the blonde asked.

Karma glanced at the screen. The ending was predictable. Just ten more minutes until the credits rolled in. And she was basically dying of boredom. She didn’t even have to think about it. She just smiled and nodded.

“Yeah, let’s go,” she said.

But where would they go? The question slammed into her as they walked out of the theatre. Amy was walking by her side, obviously trying to not to walk ahead with her long gait. Karma found herself thanking her for being so tactful. It was getting harder to walk with the trench coat, especially since it ended right at the back of her legs. Karma was used to dresses that reached her knees and made it easier to twirl around and walk as freely as she could. Trench coats? Not so much. But she didn’t tell Amy. She didn’t want the other girl to think that she was an ungrateful person.

“That was…” Amy started to say as they headed into the streets. It was eight o’clock already. The stars were brilliant in the sky. Karma found herself thinking about her dear old mother who always told her that stars led the way to the future. But this was the present now. And Amy was talking to her.

“Not much of a good first date,” Karma supplied.

Amy gave her an apologetic smile. “The movie sucked.”

“No, it wasn’t.” Karma licked her lips, found herself tasting her own minty lip gloss. “It wasn’t Game of Thrones standards but it was okay, I guess.”

Amy nearly stumbled on the flat sidewalk. Karma reached out to steady her, confusion clouding her thoughts once more.

“What is it?” she asked.

“You watch Game of Thrones?” the other girl asked, incredulous.

“Well, yeah. I watch a lot of shows. Like Orphan Black. Hannibal. Supernatural.” Karma shrugged, as if it was no big deal. “I have a lot of free time in my hands.”

Amy was looking at her as if she was the most beautiful person in the planet. Karma blushed under the intensity of her green gaze. It made her nervous and jittery. It made her happy and warm. It made her feel a lot of things all at once. Amy always seemed to have that effect on her.

The blonde smiled at her then, making the tightness of Karma’s chest to loosen slightly.

**AMY**

_She’s perfect_ , Amy thought helplessly as they continued walking down the pavement.

It was hard to find someone who didn’t think of Game of Thrones as some crazy TV show where the plot was just sex, incest and then violence. It was even harder to find someone who actually  _knew_ what Orphan Black was. But to Amy’s bewilderment, she had found her. Karma Ashcroft. She did not look like the person who spent their Saturday nights watching Netflix. She looked like the person who spent their Saturday nights partying hard at clubs.  _A lot of surprises today_ , Amy mused silently.

Amy decided to bring Karma home. Since the other girl’s house was miles away from where they were standing, she was suddenly gripped with the idea of being chivalrous.  _I’m not a gentleman_ , Amy thought wordlessly _, but I can still show her my manners_. Besides, the thought of Karma walking alone in the streets with the threat of rapists, murderers and kidnappers around the corner wasn’t something Amy would like to think about.

They took a cab and in the silence between them both, Amy found herself staring at the other girl while she wasn’t looking. Her hair was a rich auburn, which most people would mistake for a brunette but Amy had watched her back at Starbucks, had seen the way the sunlight made the red more noticeable. Also, Karma’s eyes were a brilliant brown, which Amy was always reminded of chocolate. And, while Amy had been wiping at her shoulders, she had noticed that Karma had a bit of freckles on her skin, barely noticeable unless you looked closely. And Amy had looked closely. It was hard not to.

The cab slowed to a stop. Karma had assured her that it was okay not to walk her home but Amy had been relentless, persistent even. She just hoped that Karma didn’t think of her as a stalker or something.

“Thanks for the date,” Karma said as they walked up to the steps of her apartment.

Amy smiled at her. “It’s okay,” she said, shrugging, “I had a great time.”

Karma rolled her eyes but there was a trace of a smile on her lips. “You don’t have to say it was great. It was a disaster. We missed most of the movie.”

 _Damn it_ , Amy thought as the words rose from her throat. “I wasn’t really paying much attention anyway.”

The surprise on Karma’s face was priceless but Amy’s heart was pounding. God, she sounded like a jackass. It made her want to crawl from the sidewalk and just melt to the earth. Her chest twisted in pain and she closed her eyes and tried to clear her head.

“Sorry, that was really insensitive,” she muttered.

“You weren’t watching?” Karma’s tone displayed hurt.

 _No. No. No._  God. Amy had to tell her the truth. She couldn’t stand going home now while Karma thought of the date as a whole farce. No. She wouldn’t do that.

“It was hard to pay attention when you’re there sitting next to me and smelling of organic tea,” she blurted out, her cheeks burning. “And to be honest, the guys were stupid anyway. You were more interesting to look at then a bunch of idiots trying to fix their messes.”

Karma had grown quiet. Shock was plainly written across her features. Amy squeezed her eyes shut, bracing herself for the impact when Karma would reject her and say that she didn’t want to see her anymore.

But the impact that came next was a bigger bang than she had expected.

The first thing that had crossed her mind was  _tea_. Somehow, the smell of it had intensified and then she felt something soft press against her lips. Her eyes opened slowly and she was met with the image of Karma leaning forward and kissing her. Her entire body froze but the warmth that had begun in her chest when she first saw the other girl was spreading once more. She closed her eyes shut again. The kiss was chaste and soft and simple. Nothing that came from the movies where guys and girls make out too often. Amy was suddenly overwhelmed with the taste of minty lip gloss. Her heart soared and she found herself thinking that this was not happening. Karma couldn’t be kissing her. Especially not on their first date! Her hands felt limp at their sides so she crossed them behind her back, the smell of Karma filling her thoughts.

Amy was the first to pull away. She opened her eyes once more and saw that Karma’s were still closed. The other girl leaned forward, as if wanting another kiss but she bit her lip instead and fought back a smile.

“You’re going to need more practice,” she said, giggling.

Amy let out a ragged breath. She felt as if she had gotten off a rollercoaster ride.

“Why’d you do that?” she asked.

Karma finally opened her eyes. She looked at her intensely.

“I wanted you to have a reason to go on another date with me,” she answered.

The tightness in Amy’s chest loosened. She grinned. “Maybe it’ll be another movie date. But on Netflix instead.”

The other girl smiled brightly. “It’s a deal then.”

Before Amy left to go home with the butterflies in her stomach, Karma had reached out and squeezed her hand, whispering, “To be honest, I wasn’t paying much attention to the movie as well.”  

 


	3. Songs, Phones and Fries

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Karma can’t get her hands and lips off Amy and Amy cannot get over the fact that Karma can’t get her hands and lips off her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> #BringBackPreSeason2Karmy

**KARMA**

Her cellphone rang.

In a blink of an eye, Karma was jumping out of her bed, sailing across the room and grabbing her vibrating phone from the dresser. She didn’t even read the Caller ID. She stood there, checking her reflection in the mirror as the voice from the other line spoke.

“So, how was your date?”

She visibly crumbled. Fucking Shane.

“Damn it, I thought you were Amy,” she muttered, frowning at herself.

“Well, don’t sound so happy to hear from me,” Shane said blandly.

Karma tried to tell herself that Shane was just being a good friend by checking up on her but it had been 12 hours and 54 minutes since Amy last contacted her. It was hard not to get impatient and nervous. What if Amy was freaked out by Karma’s impulse to kiss her? What if Amy didn’t want to call her back? She wished she knew what to do. If she was a guy, she’d definitely call back but she wasn’t. If Amy was a guy, she’d call back too but she wasn’t. Ugh. The rules of dating were so messed up.

“I’m sorry,” she told Shane, squeezing her eyes shut and collapsing on her bed, “It’s just that…Amy hasn’t called yet and I’ve been stalking my phone for a while. It’s making me crazy.”

“Maybe she lost your phone number,” Shane suggested.

“That’s stupid,” Karma snapped. “If she lost my number, then she’d find other ways to contact me, like you! Shane, if you lied about her wanting to ask me out then I’ll—”

“Calm your tits,” Shane said, sounding aggravated. “Look, I’ll ask her. Oh wait, maybe I should just let you flow through naturally. It’s not the end of the world, Karma. Besides, if you want to see here, drop by Starbucks tomorrow.”

“Wait, is she working right now?” Karma hated the fact that she sounded so clingy.

“Yeah, she seems really happy.” Shane laughed. “The light in her eyes will not go away.”

Karma checked her watch; it was 9 am in the morning. Way too early to be heading to Starbucks but then she remembered the smell of coffee on Amy’s clothes, the soft plump lips that she had kissed last night, and the brightness of her green eyes when she had left. Karma’s heart constricted once more. She wondered if Amy had the same feelings as she did.

“Don’t move,” Karma said, making up her mind, “I’ll be there soon.”

**AMY**

Amy hadn’t realized how completely happy a person could be until she met Karma.

The butterflies in her stomach hadn’t even left one bit. They were a constant reminder about the kiss last night. It made Amy think about tea and auburn hair and a trench coat. It made Amy think of Karma Ashcroft and the brilliant smile she wore before she ran up the steps to her apartment. Shane was begging for details. He had actually grabbed her arm the moment she walked in and jumped up and down giddily, demanding to get answers. Amy just smiled and said, “Everything went perfect.”

And now she was practically talking to everybody who walked in, asking people how their day was and if their drinks were okay. Most of them smiled and talked about. Others, who were exhausted and moody, just glared at her. But that didn’t stop her from smiling all the time. It was hard not to.

It was 10 am. She was standing near the counter, checking her phone with her thumb hovering over Karma’s name. She wondered if she should call but that seemed desperate. There was rule about dating, right? Always call after three days or something. Amy hated that rule. It always made girls feel as if they were waiting for a call from their dead mother.

Shane popped up over her shoulder. She’d know his perfume anywhere.

“Let me guess,” he said lightly, “you don’t want to seem clingy or desperate or a complete stalker.”

Amy glanced over at him. He was smiling.

“It was our first date,” she mumbled, feeling her cheeks turn warm.

“And you told me it went perfect.” He took her hands into his hands, gently soothing them. “Don’t worry; I’m sure Karma will pop by any minute now.”

Before Amy could say another word, she heard the sound of the door opening. Looking over at Shane’s shoulder, she nearly dropped her phone in surprise.

Karma was standing there, looking fresh and flushed. She was wearing a white blouse with flowers pained upon it and a blue skirt that showed her knees. Her auburn hair was braided with curls framing her face. She looked incredibly beautiful and it didn’t help with the fact that she was staring straight at Amy.

“Crap,” Amy said, hitting Shane on the shoulder.

“Ouch. What was  _that_  for?” Shane demanded.

“You totally knew she was going to be here!” Amy furiously whispered.

Shane didn’t even bother hiding it. “Well, what’d you expect? Apparently, Karma’s been as crazy about your date as much as you have been.”

Amy stiffened. His words resonated inside her head. She wanted so badly to believe it so why couldn’t she? She kept thinking about last night, the soft chaste kiss she had managed to get and the giddy smile that had crossed Karma’s face before she left. Her heart stumbled when she saw Karma approach her tentatively. The same giddy smile from last night graced her lips.

“Hey,” she said.

“Hi, what are you doing here?”

A blush crept up on Karma’s neck. “I—I wanted a drink, I guess.”

Amy grinned. “The usual?”

“The usual,” Karma agreed.

**KARMA**

Karma searched Amy’s face for any hint that would betray her thoughts. She could see her own excitement mirrored there but that was the only thing she could read. It made her feel uneasy. Was Amy happy to see her? Annoyed at the fact that she was there? All the doubts and questions began rising inside her head. It wasn’t hard to see that Amy adored her but adoration and love were far from each other.  _Crap_ , Karma thought, returning to her old seat, _I’m analyzing too much_.

She didn’t have to pull out her notebook full of songs anymore. She didn’t need a reason to be sitting here because Amy knew. There was a fluttering in her chest when she thought about her and she wondered if this was what love what felt like, a constant overwhelming tightness in her heart and the feeling of flying high above everybody else. She had never really been in love before but she had loved the idea of being in love and so she had told herself that she did love Liam, the guy she’d been with for a while. But now that she was comparing her time with Liam between her time with Amy, she suddenly realized with a sudden clarity just how wrong she was.

Amy came back, smiling shyly and holding a tray with her order.

“Don’t pay,” the blonde said, “It’s on the house.”

Karma grinned. “Thanks.”

To her surprise, Amy didn’t head back to the counter. Instead, she put down the tray and slid into the chair opposite Karma. There was a slight hesitation in her movements but Karma just smiled encouragingly.

“Shouldn’t you be working?” Karma asked.

“I should,” Amy agreed, “but I’m not going to let you sit here all alone. It could attract a lot of male predators.”

Karma laughed. She reached forward instinctively and took Amy’s hand. The other girl took a sharp intake of breath as their fingers clasped together. Heat shimmered across Karma’s arm and throughout her entire body. She wondered if Amy felt the same as she did. Her eyes relentlessly followed Amy’s green ones but much to her disappointment, she saw that the other girl was avoiding her gaze.

Fear crept up into her system. “Is this okay?”

Amy licked her lips, blushing under the intensity of her stare.

“It’s okay,” she said, nodding and smiling, “It’s perfect, actually.”

It was Karma’s turn to take a sharp intake of breath. Amy squeezed her hand reassuringly.

“What’s up?” she asked.

“I—I just wanted coffee.” It wasn’t really a lie; she really wanted her coffee but she also wanted the blonde barista who brought it. With her other hand, she grabbed her order and sipped it carefully, her eyes never leaving Amy’s face. “And I wanted to see how you were doing.”

 _Play it cool, Karma,_  she told herself.

“I’m fine,” Amy said, smiling, “I’m okay. Better, actually.”

“That’s good to hear.” Karma took a deep breath, bracing herself for her next words. “Anyway, I was wondering if you wanted to watch something with me.”

The surprise on Amy’s face was something Karma burned into her memory.

“It’s this new show on Netflix,” she explained, “It’s called Orange is the New Black. I’ve been wanting to see it but I guess I’m sort of waiting for someone. But its okay if—”

“Say no more.” Amy pulled back, grinning broadly. “I’m in.”

Karma didn’t bother hiding her excitement. “Great. When are you available?”

“Right now!” Shane appeared behind Amy, smiling. “Since Amy’s too busy spending time with her  _girlfriend_ and not working, I’ve decided to cover her for today.”

Both Karma and Amy blushed at the use of the word. It made Karma’s heart pound faster than normal. She could feel Amy’s gaze on her face, gouging for her reaction but Karma’s eyes were glued to Shane’s knowing smirk. She wished that they wouldn’t hear the loud beating inside her chest. Girlfriend. It was such a weird word but she wanted it to be true. She wanted it so badly that she could imagine it, could see Amy walking up next to her on the bed, could taste Amy’s toothbrush in her mouth as she kissed her before the day’s work, could smell the coffee and tea that mingled together as they spent the day watching movies on Netflix.

 _Cut it out_ , a voice in her head said,  _you don’t even know her_.

“Are you sure?” Amy’s voice brought her back.

“Yes, Raudenfeld,” Shane said impatiently, hitting her on the head softly. “Now go, before I change my mind.”

Amy seemed frozen with shock. Karma sighed, adoring the way her green eyes widened and her mouth dropped open. Making up her mind, she reached out, grabbed Amy’s hand and pulled her to her feet. She turned the other girl around and untangled her apron. Shane made a sound of surprise and admiration. Karma’s face was burning; she didn’t mean to be such a straightforward person but she wanted Amy to spend the day with her and she wanted to go  _now_.

Amy pulled off the apron and handed it to Shane. Karma took notice of the fact that she was wearing a donut themed shirt.

“Ready?” Karma asked.

Amy turned to look at her. Her eyes were still wide.

“Yeah—right. Sorry.” She sounded flustered, making Karma smile.

Shane ushered them out the door. Karma could feel the heat on her face as Shane bid them goodbye. The sun was high up in the clouds as they walked down the streets. Karma’s hand felt limp against her sides. She wondered if taking a hold of Amy’s hand was just pushing it. She told herself to assert self-control. But she  _had_ been in control actually. She had been itching to kiss Amy ever since she saw her today and had managed to minimize the kisses. Now  _that_  was self-control. She silently patted herself on the back.

“So, we’re going to watch that show right?”

“Nope,” Karma said, grinning, “We’ll do that some other time. Right now? It’s our second date.”

Amy was flabbergasted. She didn’t even seem to be able to form words. That made Karma giggle. Whipping her head around to see that nobody wasn’t looking, she stood on her tiptoes and placed a quick kiss against Amy’s lips. The blonde was so surprised that she didn’t get a chance to kiss her back. Karma turned back and smiled sheepishly, holding out her hand.

“Do you want to?” she asked.

This time, Amy didn’t hesitate.

**AMY**

Being in a date with Karma Ashcroft was both exhilarating and tiring. They could never stay in one place; she was always moving, always dragging Amy along. They walked through the park, talking about college and about the TV shows they watched. They walked through antique shops, sharing anecdotes about their past and funny memories that began with Shane. They walked through the mall, chatting idly about clothes which Amy had a hard time comprehending. By the time it was 12 o’clock, Amy’s legs were sore and she was practically limping to catch up with Karma.

“Come on!” Karma said, laughing heartily.

“Wow,” Amy mumbled to herself, “Someday, I’m going to stop chasing after this woman.”

Mercifully, Karma finally stopped by McDonalds. Amy probably thought that she looked ragged and breathless compared to this auburn haired girl standing next to her. Sucking in a breath, she placed her hands on her knees and gasped for air. She could smell the tea and perfume on Karma and it made her head swim.  _Damn this girl_. Karma was waiting so she straightened up and let her shoulders drop.

“Sorry,” she said.

“You don’t do this much, don’t you?”

“What, running around all day and still looking pretty in the process?” Amy shook her head as Karma blushed. “Never. I prefer staying at home and watching TV and fattening myself.”

Karma laughed. “Well, you’re pretty lucky that I’m here.”

“Right.” Amy licked her lips, finding it hard to hold Karma’s gaze.

“Hey.” The other girl stepped forward, grabbing Amy’s hand. There was a devious glint in her eyes and it made Amy feel as if she was falling, thundering towards the clouds and desperately grabbing for something to hold onto. Karma smiled shyly. “You okay there, sport?”

“I—I—yeah, I’m great,” Amy stuttered.

Karma raised her eyebrows. “You sure?”

“I’m just hungry,” she answered.

“Ha. Well, come on then, it’s on me.” Karma tugged on her sleeve.

 _Is she ever going to get tired of dragging me around the city_? Amy asked herself as they walked up to the steps of McDonalds. It was busy as usual, with the smell of fried chicken and French fries wafting through the air. Amy’s stomach nearly grumbled. God, she was hungry but she still enjoyed the day with Karma. Talking to her, getting to know her and noticing her little quirks. It was easy to praise God for this day, even though Amy wasn’t really religious. They found a seat in one little corner where there wasn’t anybody to bother them. Karma apologized relentlessly for making them eat in here and not in a fancy restaurant.

“Don’t worry,” Amy said, reassuring her, “I like it better than  _any_ restaurant.”

The smile that lit up Karma’s eyes was something Amy vowed to remember.

When Karma walked off, Amy leaned back in her seat, heart pounding. All doubts of Karma liking her back had completely vanished. The gnawing pain in her chest that had begun when Karma Ashcroft walked into her life was gone. It was now replaced with the giddy feeling of being in love.

“Amy?”

Amy froze. Crap. She recognized that voice, spent months listening to it on the phone. She turned around slowly and saw Oliver, the guy she had dated for a few months. He still looked the same with his dark hair and thick glasses. He was eating alone, she noticed.

“Hey,” she said, forcing a smile.

“I didn’t know you were still here,” he said, “I thought you were going to Chicago or something.”

“Plans were delayed,” Amy answered plainly. She felt uncomfortable around Oliver; things had ended badly between them both but since Oliver was a nice guy, he wasn’t going to let that get in the way of friendship.

“That sucks.” Oliver cleared his throat. “Anyway, how’ve you been?”

“Do you really want to know?”

“Yes.”

“I’m working at Starbucks,” Amy answered truthfully, “and I’m seeing someone.”

The surprise on Oliver’s face flashed as quickly as it came. He grinned. “Really? Where is he? Is he with you right now?”

“Well—” Amy caught sight of Karma. The other girl stopped dead in her tracks while holding a tray of two burgers. “There she is.”

Oliver’s dark eyes followed Amy’s. He did a double take when he saw Karma.

“Hi.” Karma said, approaching their table warily. Amy noticed that her voice was sweet—too  _sweet_ , in fact—and it made her nervous. Oliver fumbled to stand up and shake her hand, introducing himself as Amy’s ex-boyfriend and casual friend. Karma’s eyes were bright and stormy but she smiled anyways.

“Coincidence that we’re all here, right?” Oliver said, laughing.

“Right.” Karma sat down and Oliver grabbed a chair and hauled it to their table.

Amy’s head dropped.  _Damn it, Oliver._

“I’m Karma Ashcroft, by the way,” Karma said.

“Karma? That’s a cool name.”

Karma smiled again. Amy was teetering on the edge of running out of here and hailing a cab back to Starbucks but the glare that Karma shot at her rooted her to the spot. So, instead she reached for the cheeseburger and bit into it, emitting a low moan as all kinds of flavors popped up in her tongue.

Oliver laughed. “You used to do that all the time,” he said, “Make these cute little noises.”

Amy blushed and avoided his gaze. Her eyes locked with Karma’s instead.

The look of jealously and anger made her stop.

“You know, Oliver, I think you should go,” she said, turning to look at her ex. “We’re sort of in a date here and I wouldn’t want you to feel awkward or anything.”

Oliver’s eyes widened. He looked at Amy and then Karma and seemed to get the picture. He got out of the chair, apologizing profusely. He nearly knocked over a chair on his way to his own table. Amy snorted as she turned to look at Karma.

“Sorry about that,” she said, “He’s a nice guy but—”

But she didn’t get to finish. Karma had somehow reappeared to her left and was now pulling at her hard. Their lips clashed together and Amy inhaled the smell of tea and that ridiculous perfume. She felt Karma’s hand against the sides of her face, her fingers soft and careful. Her head swam with the taste of the thin mint frappuchino Karma had ordered three hours ago and the minty lip gloss she always seemed to be wearing. She didn’t even care that other people were probably getting disgusted with their display of PDA. What mattered was that Karma was kissing her, making her blood boil with desire and want. Damn it. Amy wanted Karma. And Karma probably wanted her too.

They pulled away when they heard someone clearing his throat. Amy looked up and saw the waiter holding their drinks, shyly hiding a smile. Karma apologized but he shook his head and whispered,

“I think you’re a cute couple.”

The smile that graced Karma’s lips never left.

**KARMA**

_People think we’re a cute couple_? Karma asked herself while trying to fight off a smile.

Amy ate hungrily. Guess all the running around and talking had worn her out. She chewed her burger and sipped her drink almost as if her life depended on it. Karma couldn’t even eat fries without trying hard not to laugh. Amy was just that adorable; it made her insides feel all squeamish.

Amy noticed her staring. “Is there something on my face?” she asked.

Karma giggled and shook her head. “No, there’s nothing on your face.”

The blonde’s green eyes seemed to sharpen. She pursed her lips and looked down at her burger.

“Why’d you kiss me?” she mumbled.

Karma felt as if somebody had doused ice onto her back. She shivered.

“Because I wanted to,” she answered. It didn’t seem good enough so she took a deep breath and added, “and because I was sort of jealous about Oliver. And because you made him go away even though it was rude. And because I have these  _feelings_  when I’m around you and I totally don’t have self-control anymore.”

Amy’s eyes widened. Karma wondered why she couldn’t see it. Wasn’t it obvious enough? All the handholding and the kissing and the yearning looks—Karma was basically sending out more signs that she could ever send. Maybe Amy just didn’t want to see it. Maybe Amy just didn’t understand. But Karma  _had_  to make her understand, had to make her see that she wanted to kiss her without being questioned, without being asked  _why_  they had kissed.

Karma actually wanted to say a lot more things to Amy, about how she loved the golden in her hair, the green in her eyes and the small plump lips that she possibly couldn’t stop kissing. But Amy seemed to be kind of person who was reserved, antisocial and not that interactive. Karma should be glad that Amy had agreed to go on this date with her.

“Are you done?” Karma asked, gesturing to the tray in front of Amy.

Amy shrugged. There were still fries left unattended but they didn’t seem intent in eating it.

“Yeah, why not?” she said.

They left after a while and to prove to Amy that this was real, Karma slipped her hand into hers as they walked through the streets of Austin.

**AMY**

Karma’s hand in hers felt warm.

Amy was still reeling from their last kiss. It had left her wanting for more. Her lips tingled and she wanted to randomly grab a person and yell at them, saying, “KARMA ASHCROFT KISSED ME” but she contented herself with holding Karma’s hand.

The other girl’s speech had made her feel as if she was flying through the entire universe. She just wished that she wouldn’t have a hard time believing it. 

“Where are we going?” Amy asked.

“Around the world, Amy,” Karma told her, stepping back and giving her a quick peck on the lips, “Around the world.”

Around the world ended up to be at her place. Amy wondered if everything was moving too fast, if they should at least slow down but Karma was not going to have any of it. She pouted and fluttered her eyelashes and Amy was just gone. She’d do anything for Karma and she was starting to realize that might not be such a bad idea after all.

Anyway, Karma’s place was a modest looking apartment. When Amy entered, everything was in order even though there were left over pizzas on the sink. Karma apologized for the mess and said that she hadn’t really expected Amy to come over for today. They cooked some snacks, scrambled eggs and orange juice. Amy couldn’t stop looking at Karma, admiring the small little smile that never seemed to fade and the brightness of those eyes of hers. After Amy nearly set the oven on fire because she hadn’t paid attention, Karma decided that they should go to their room and rewatch the first season of Game of Thrones.

“Don’t worry about moving too fast,” Karma told her as they walked into her room, holding a plate full of half burnt eggs and orange juice that tasted too sweet. She stood on her tiptoes and nibbled on Amy’s ear, making the blonde giggle and blush. “I’ve been waiting two weeks and two days for this.”

The TV show made them both laugh, cry and reminisce the good memories of the Starks before everything went to hell. Eventually, Amy had to go home but not before remembering the song Karma had written. It had been in her mind for quite some time now and it made her feel guilty for mentioning it _now_  when the day was done and everything was perfect.

But Karma had laughed and said that she’d sing her the song later, when she’s about to go to bed. Amy was a bit puzzled. Before she hailed a cab to go home, she was the one who grabbed Karma by the waist and kissed her this time. Karma waved goodbye with the biggest smile on her face.

When Amy was home and was about to crawl into bed, her phone rang. She read from the Caller ID that it was Karma.

She answered, “Hello?”

“Are you going to sleep?” Karma asked.

“Yeah, why?”

To her surprise, Karma began singing. Amy fell into the bed, shock and amazement rooting her to the spot. Karma’s voice reminded her of lazy days watching Netflix. Karma’s voice reminded her of heartbreak and heartache. Karma’s voice reminded her of the moment where Ned Stark’s head had been cut off and through her tears, Karma had held her hand. Karma’s voice reminded her of the silence between them both when Amy had pulled away from their kiss. Karma’s voice reminded her of the smile on the auburn haired girl’s face before the taxi rounded a corner.

When Karma stopped, Amy was lying on bed with tears in her eyes.

“That was amazing,” the blonde choked out.

Karma laughed. She sounded like she too had been crying.

“Are you going to sleep?” she asked.

“Yeah.” Amy nodded to herself, sniffing, “Yeah, I am.”

“Don’t hang up.”

That night, Amy fell asleep with the sound of Karma’s breathing in her ear.  


End file.
